Meet Katie Bryl, Owner of Brylliant Designs

An Interview with Jessica Wise

Headshot Photo Credit: Katya Vilchyk

What inspired you to start Brylliant Designs?

I had dabbled in a lot of different things over the years. During the COVID-19 shutdown, I was desperate for a way to stay in touch with friends, while we couldn't hang out, and I started designing and sending stickers in the mail to them. I had created enamel pins as giveaways for my talk at Design Week Tallahassee. I had been getting messages on Instagram when friends were sharing my creations on social, so it sort of all just came about organically and turned into a whole business. 

A lot of people underestimate the impact of including their names in the naming of the brand. Tell us about your decision to name your brand after yourself and how it’s impacted the way you work, if it has at all. 

When I was a kid, many of my family members used brylliant as their email addresses (Back in the AOL days!) It always resonated with me — I was so proud of how confident it made me feel to be like 'yeah, we are Brylliant, aren't we?" When it came time to create my own business brand over 10 years later, I really struggled with what to name the business. I was in a critique in my senior year of college when someone remarked 'Brilliant concept, Katie!' and everything sort of clicked. I hadn't thought about the usage of the Y in Brilliant in years, but I knew that was exactly the direction I wanted to go with the brand. The idea for the logo came to me immediately and all the pieces fell into place. I have so much pride in the brand, the name and the logo. It's a bet on yourself to tie your company to your name. You're going all in. I'm glad I did. I like that it's subtle enough not everyone realizes it right away, but it's always a fun little moment when people put all the pieces together.

Your brand encompasses both graphic design services and fun merchandise. We know you love your business, but what’s your favorite part of it?

I love the variety. I like that owning my own business means I get to do a little bit of everything from marketing, writing, design, sales, events and more. When the weather is nice I can prioritize outdoor artist markets, and in the winter, I can take on more freelance work. It means I'm never bored and I'm constantly growing, learning, and trying new things.

Describe a challenging design client and how you were able to move forward in spite of them making your job harder. 

Since I own both of my business and work full-time, I've been really blessed not to have many troublesome clients. That's mostly because I tend to be pretty selective about what projects I take on. I've had a few experiences that have pushed me out of my comfort zone, such as subcontracting illustration work that wasn't in my wheelhouse and figuring out licensing contracts, but for the most part it's been pretty easy. Sometimes balancing the workload of freelancing with my market events and my full-time job can be tough. I'm definitely guilty of biting off more than I can chew sometimes when projects interest me, but it's been a learn-as-I-go experience and I'm finally starting to find the perfect balance.

What inspires the designs for your accessories?

Everything I make is something that I want to own personally that didn't yet exist. I love stickers, pins, and clips, and collect them myself. When I realized that instead of being sad something didn't exist, I could just create it myself... it really unlocked something for me. Now I joke that I wanted ONE, but I have to make 50 at a time, so I had to own a business. There's something so exciting about someone buying something that I made — it's so validating that it's not just something I wanted, and that others like it too. I do a little celebration every single time a sale comes through my website.

Photo Credit: Kate Grubbs, Kray Creative

What’s your current favorite piece of Brylliant Design fashion and accessories?

Hands down, my favorite is my tennis ball claw clip. I have taken 4 or 5 out of inventory and keep them in my tennis bag, my purse, at my desk — everywhere. There's always one within arm's reach to use myself. I'm rarely seen without one. 

Photo Credit: Kate Grubbs, Kray Creative

What’s something you wish more people understood about creative entrepreneurs?

A lot of people say, "Oh I could never do that. I'm not creative." I believe deep in my heart that everyone is creative. Sure, some people have a natural talent and it's easier for them than others, but I genuinely believe that creativity is a muscle. It's something you have to exercise to keep it working and growing. As far as the entrepreneurship element, I think a lot of people believe it's an all-or-nothing thing. You absolutely CAN put all your eggs in the business owner basket and bet on yourself and go all in, but you can also try it out as a side hustle. Dip your toes in and see how you feel about it. The amount of commitment can ebb and flow to fit the phase of your life that you're in. I'd encourage people not to let fear of failure stop them from trying. 

Any new projects or pop-ups in the works? We want to support you!

I'm currently working on a project to do mini-pin packs for all 50 states. I'm doing the state flower, state bird, and other recognizable icons for the state. I just dropped my 3rd state, Florida featuring an Orange Blossom, Orange, Northern Mockingbird, and a Manatee. I've previously done Maryland & Georgia as well, and am working on Texas, California, and North Carolina next. As far as pop-ups, I'm actually taking a break on in-person events as I've just reopened my books to new freelance clients! If you're considering a rebrand, need an infographic, or e-book designed, I'd love to talk!

Follow Katie on Instagram and visit her website to book her for your next event or design job!